Garden Makeovers

Soon it will be spring – and time for a garden makeover

If you planted bulbs back in the autumn, you’ll be looking forward to seeing the first splashes of colour in your garden soon. But before too much spring growth gets under way, it’s a good time to assess your plans for your garden this year.

Wrap up warm and take a wander around; which shrubs and bushes could do with a chop-back? Which unloved areas failed to bloom, and which plants could do with a change of scenery – moving from a shady spot into a bit more sunlight, perhaps? What measures might you need to take to better protect your plants from slugs and snails, or from damage by marauding cats and foxes?

Curl up with a few seed catalogues and the garden books you got for Christmas – and get some inspiration for filling any holes in the borders and for new colour once the tulips, crocuses and daffodils have faded. Brightening up your garden needn’t be too expensive; growing your own plants from seed will enable you to plant out your beds, pots and hanging baskets very cheaply. Start your seedlings off indoors on south-facing windowsills; you don’t need a greenhouse. Shop cleverly and choose perennials, and you will be rewarded year after year with displays of colour.

If you’ve got the space to treat yourself to a few larger plants or shrubs, these will prove a worthwhile investment and give you lasting pleasure – as will a fruit tree. Or, if you’ve not done so already, how about dedicating an area of your garden to growing vegetables? Cooking with home-grown produce is immensely satisfying, and even gardening novices should be able to manage carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and healthy greens such as perpetual spinach or Swiss chard. If space is limited, try a few pots of herbs – basil, coriander, parsley and chives are all easy to cultivate.

Now is also a good time to do any necessary repairs to fences and sheds – or to have a tidy-up and clear-out of the clutter in the latter – and to think about any structural elements that could give your garden a new look. Buying a few new pots, or painting old containers, is an affordable way to introduce new colours; moving existing pots and rearranging them in different clusters can shift the focus to different areas or highlight certain successful blooms. Or how about training some climbing plants up a new trellis or over an archway?

New garden furniture may not be cheap, but choose sensibly, care for it well and store it in the dry over the winter, and it should last for many years. If you can’t run to a full outdoor dining set, then some cheerful new cushions or a tablecloth to cover up older furniture will do the trick. Add a few glass lanterns and candles, and you’re all set for al fresco evening meals.

If you're keen to have your new garden in place before spring, one way to help pay for some modest improvements could be by credit card, especially if you've got a card that offers a 0% period on purchases or offers rewards as you spend. It's important to bear in mind though that if you don’t clear the balance outside the introductory period, you will be charged interest.